Wait, what? Lake Superior State University recently released its annual “Banished Words List”—the top 10 misused, overused or useless phrases submitted by people across the world, and the No. 1 offender was a phrase consisting of two four-letter words the university’s judges ruled should never go together, under any circumstances: the exceedingly common “Wait, what?” If […]
Read More
Every Friday on our Instagram, we feature different women-owned, BIPOC or LGBTQ+ Portland-based small businesses. Here are the two amazing businesses we featured throughout the month of November. Roots Marketplace Chrisetta Mosley has always had a passion for food. During the course of her career, she started a catering company, gave food demonstrations at local produce […]
Read More
This year we realize how grateful we are for the big – and small – things in life! Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Team A.wordsmith! “I will never take for granted the joy of live music, spring break trips and in-real-life school. Grateful to have all of these back in my life.” Ann […]
Read More
The first year of your agency career is a whirlwind. You’re tasked with learning your firm’s operations, understanding its clients and most importantly, mastering those basic but foundational PR skills. It takes months of practice to truly grasp and settle into all of the newness around you. But what happens when you’ve hit that one […]
Read More
Socioeconomic unrest, the great resignation, and the pandemic have given rise to a pivotal, branding defining time. Now more than ever, an organization’s every action (or inaction) is highly scrutinized, and the critical importance of PR has been magnified. Against this backdrop, PR leaders are called to rethink their crisis communications strategies and guide clients […]
Read More
When I sent the email to our team in the early morning of March 13 of 2020 letting them know that we’d be closing our office for the next 2 weeks, given the suddenly growing concern about COVID-19, I couldn’t have imagined that we’d never return. What transpired over the next 19 months is hard […]
Read More
According to a study done in July of 2021, 57% of the world’s population (aka 5 billion people) are active social media users. It has become rare to find a business that is not utilizing social media to grow its audience. With that being said, we have completely moved past the point that social media […]
Read More
As the final year of college approaches for aspiring PR pros, so does the stress of preparing for a career after graduation. Students often fear that they are behind, or that they do not have the experience necessary to land a job right out of school. However, as a recent college graduate who dove headfirst […]
Read More
From corporations modifying their logos to a rainbow design with an empty promise of allyship to Pride parades with people looking for an excuse to party, the true themes behind pride can be overlooked by many. Being a member and/or ally of the LGBTQ+ community in any shape or form doesn’t happen once a year […]
Read More
An organization’s culture is the fundamental element that allows successful teamwork to flourish. A business thrives when support, kindness and courage shape the foundation of the organization. Developing a culture that uplifts everyone’s unique personalities and learning styles is imperative to fostering a positive workplace environment. An encouraging and kind culture strengthens communication and propels […]
Read More
Feeling overwhelmed by the number of tasks on your to-do list? You’re not alone. Working in PR, you’re often expected to juggle a variety of different tasks in a day. If you’re like me, and don’t drink caffeine, it can be hard to maintain the same level of enthusiastic energy throughout the day. Practicing mindfulness keeps is a great alternative […]
Read More
Between an ongoing pandemic and increasing socioeconomic volatility, the past 18 months have served as a crash course in crisis communications. Leaders, companies and brands are constantly tossed into the proverbial deep end as a merciless sink-or-swim test that disrupts the economy, financial markets and global supply chains. Yet, many can credit excellence in crisis communications […]
Read More